Will Trump’s social media post cast a shadow on long-awaited call with Xi Jinping?
Remarks came a day after China’s FM urged Washington to meet Beijing halfway and followed White House hopes of a leaders’ call this week
US President Donald Trump said that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping was “extremely hard to make a deal with”, casting uncertainty over a possible phone call between the two leaders that the White House has said was expected this week.
“I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform at around 2.17am local time on Wednesday.
When asked about Trump’s comments, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China’s “principles and positions” on relationships with the US had been “consistent”.
It was not clear what prompted the social media post, but the comments came one day after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the US to meet China halfway and create the “necessary conditions” for bringing bilateral ties back on track during a meeting with David Perdue, the new American ambassador, in Beijing.
In the meeting, Wang said that mutual respect and cooperation were the foundation of stable China-US relations, which he said were at a “crucial juncture”.
“Equality and respect are the prerequisites for interactions, while dialogue and cooperation remain the only correct path forward,” he said, drawing a reference to the two countries’ engagement since diplomatic ties were established in 1979.